Who will take over the vacant cockpit at Mercedes? Fernando Alonso is out after his contract extension. Sebastian Vettel may now become a candidate.
Brixworth - The guesswork, especially on social media, about the Mercedes successor to Lewis Hamilton, who is moving to rival Ferrari next season, continues. Fernando Alonso, one of the potential heirs to the vacant cockpit, is no longer an issue. Is Sebastian Vettel now coming to the fore instead?
Sebastian Vettel |
|
|---|---|
Birth date: |
July 3, 1987 (age 36 years), Heppenheim (Bergstrasse) |
First start: |
US Grand Prix 2007 |
World Cup balance: |
World champion (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) |
End of career: |
2022 |
Fernando Alonso extends his contract with Aston Martin
Alonso is out of the running because he has extended his contract with Aston Martin until 2026. “It’s a life project,” enthused the Iberian. “It ties me to Aston Martin for many years. Let's see how much longer I'll be driving.” It's possible that Alonso will then take a position with Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll's Formula 1 racing team.
Alonso can spend the next two years thinking about whether he will take on other tasks at Aston Martin. And Vettel? The 36-year-old recently fueled speculation about a comeback to Formula 1, claiming that the cockpit at Mercedes is "definitely" one of "the best places on the grid." Vettel declared his career over after the 2022 season.
Top teams in Formula 1 do not rally around Sebastian Vettel
But among the top teams in the premier class of motorsport, interest in his services is apparently limited. Vettel's old friend Helmut Marko, a motorsport consultant at Red Bull, has already turned down the four-time world champion: “What? Vettel should come to us? No, that is not an option,” said Marko in an interview with
oe24
.
Vettel continues to push himself forward, at least among Formula 1 fans, as a candidate for the vacant driver position at Mercedes. He could definitely become a candidate for this position again thanks to the Alonso extension. The desired solution from Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, Max Verstappen, has already clearly ruled out a switch to the Silver Arrows. Verstappen said he wanted to fulfill his contract, which runs until 2028: “I have always felt comfortable at Red Bull because it is like a second family for me.”
Sebastian Vettel confirmed contact with Mercedes boss
In an interview with the TV channels
RTL
and
ntv,
Vettel recently confirmed that he was in contact with Wolff. The two Formula 1 experts had talked about the fact that there was a lot going on at Mercedes, said Vettel, "but not specifically about the fact that I could take the place." Under certain circumstances, that could change at the next meeting.
(aoe)